The CDI Dashboard is an interactive look at the ongoing digital information revolution.Use the dashboard to track key data trends, follow central storylines, and explore innovativeexamples of the changing form of information in an evolving digital age.

Datafeed

45%

percent of American adults who own a digital tablet (as of April 2015)

Storylines

A Medium for the Masses

In the mid-1990s and early 2000s, the internet was a niche medium with mass potential. In 1995, only 14% of Americans were online. Not until 2000 did internet use reach half the adult population. Today, 87% of all American adults are online. Among those ages 18 to 29, internet access is nearly universal — 97%. See the full trend and demographics

Speed Matters

Broadband access was barely measurable at the turn of the century. Not until 2008 had a majority of Americans switched to broadband connections. Today, 70% of U.S. households have high-speed internet. This speed has transformed the rudimentary web into a rich platform for interactive, multimedia digital content.

New Platforms & Mobility

For more than a decade, there was one window to the internet — a web browser on a personal computer. Beginning with the introduction of the iPhone and its operating system in 2007, the adoption of internet-connected smartphones and touch devices has been rapid. Today 68% of U.S. adults have smartphones, and 45% have digital tablets.

The Internet as a News Source

Two decades into the digital era, the internet is emerging as a primary source of news on national and international issues — a trend that coincides with the widespread adoption of internet-connected mobile devices. The internet overtook newspapers in 2008. In 2013, half of Americans name the internet as a primary news source. See full trend

The Online Water Cooler

Since their emergence in the middle of the last decade, social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter have transformed the web into an online water cooler conversation millions of voices strong. Uptake has been swift. In 2005, only 5% used social networks such as Facebook and Myspace. Ten years later, 64% of U.S. adults use social media.

ThenNow

Internet Penetration

% of U.S. adults online

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project

Broadband Penetration

% of U.S. adults with a broadband internet connection in their homes

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project

Smartphone Penetration

% of U.S. adults who own a smartphone

Sources: Pew Internet & American Life Project and Nielsen

Tablet Penetration

% of U.S. adults who own a tablet computer

Sources: Pew Internet & American Life Project

Use of the Internet for News

% of U.S. adults who use the internet as a primary source of news on national and international issues

Source: Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Online Social Networking Use

% of U.S. adults who use online social networking sites (i.e., Facebook, Myspace, Twitter)

Digital Information Showcase

This showcase highlights innovative examples of the changing form of information in our evolving digital age. Entries are drawn from journalism, publishing, research, government and elsewhere. It is not intended to be a comprehensive list nor a best-of.Submit examples to center [at] digitalinfo.org or tweet to @jeffcdi.

#digitalinfo on Twitter

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About the Center for Digital Information

The Center for Digital Information (CDI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan initiative designed to help policy research organizations — including think tanks, foundations, NGOs, and academic research institutes — rethink how they communicate their knowledge in a digital society. CDI is based in Washington, DC, affiliated with the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, and funded initially by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.